Tucson Modern Streetcar

RailWorks completed this $66 million joint-venture project with Granite Construction to construct a modern streetcar line in Tucson, Ariz. The Sun Link streetcar system opened for service July 25, 2014.

RailWorks Track Systems was joint-venture partner with Granite. Working under the name “Old Pueblo Trackworks,” RailWorks constructed 3.85 miles of embedded, double track, including 17 pieces of special trackwork, over the 16-month duration of the project. RailWorks Track Systems' sister company L.K. Comstock National Transit installed six traction power substations and procured, installed and tested the overhead catenary system (OCS), signals, and low-voltage feeder cables for the substations.

The streetcar route extends from Tucson’s downtown business district through the University of Arizona. The project began in March 2012 and wrapped up in 2013. The line opened for revenue service July 25, 2014.

The project was honored with two awards from the American Public Works Association (APWA): the 2014 Arizona Chapter Project of the Year (more than $75 million category), and the 2014 Professional Award of Merit given to Joe Chase, P.E., project manager for the Tucson Department of Transportation.

After area voters approved the Sun Link streetcar project in 2006, construction began in 2012 and concluded October 2013. The construction was followed by extensive testing of the line and arrival of the eight streetcar vehicles, which were part of the first order of vehicles manufactured in the United States in nearly 60 years, meeting "Buy America" requirements.

The City of Tucson and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) co-managed the project.